Errol Spence Jr. wanted to defend his IBF crown back home in Texas as soon as possible after taking the title from Kell Brook in the Englishman's hometown a year ago.

The 2012 U.S. Olympian gets that chance Saturday night against Mexico's Carlos Ocampo in a mandatory defense between undefeated fighters. Spence's second fight as a champion will be the first title bout in the 12,000-seat football stadium that is the indoor practice field for the Dallas Cowboys at team headquarters 30 miles north of Dallas.

Spence (23-0 with 20 knockouts) won his first defense in the 147-pound division against Lamont Peterson in January in New York. The fight was stopped in the eighth round — Spence's 10th straight knockout.

Ocampo (22-0, 13 KOs), fighting professionally outside his home country for the first time, is largely an afterthought amid talk of Spence taking on other welterweight champions. Keith Thurman holds two titles, and Terence Crawford just took the WBO crown from Jeff Horn nearly a year after Horn beat Manny Pacquiao.

This is the second of what the 28-year-old Spence figures will be three fights in 2018. It's also his first as a co-promoter with his new company, Man Down Promotions — another reason that putting on a show is at least part of the story line while Spence tries to keep the focus on winning first.

“The task at hand [is how I handle the pressure]. I’ve got a tough opponent prepared to take my title in front of my hometown fans, and I’m not going to let that happen. I won’t let him upset me in front of my hometown fans. I’m going to put on a great show and great performance like you always see," Spence said.

“Definitely this has been bigger than I expected. I get a little bit nervous when they say I’m fighting in front of 14,000-plus fans. But I have the support from my home state of Texas and Dallas. I love it.”

And does he want to send to the other top welterweights Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia and Terrence Crawford?

“I’ve been sending messages; I don’t have to send anymore. I’m the best welterweight in the division and the most feared welterweight in the division. So they have to send a message to me since I’m the top dog," Spence said.